


Does Anyone Know

by ammiehawk



Category: Naruto
Genre: Children of Characters, F/F, F/M, M/M, Mpreg, Post-Naruto Time Skip | Naruto Shippuden, slight AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-17
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2020-05-13 11:57:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19250737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ammiehawk/pseuds/ammiehawk
Summary: Neji Hyuga has been declared dead in the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Four years later, the truth is finally discovered. With so many misunderstandings, will Neji ever be able to return to the place he once called home? And what of the new friends he has made over the course of his absence, who are now more like family than his own clan? Contains Yaoi, MPreg, and Slight AU.





	1. Chapter 1

Prologue

 

Neji Hyuga stumbled through the trees of the forest he now found himself in, his hand clutched to his side, where he had been stabbed by a stray kunai. His long chocolate hair clung to his face and shoulders, as his pale eyes tried to focus on his surroundings.

He had been on a relatively routine observe and report mission of a group of rogue shinobi. From the report he’d been given for the mission, the group was said to be almost as ruthless as the former Akatsuki, and this was cause for concern in the currently peaceful world. None of the five great nations wanted anything like the war of two years ago to happen again.

He had found the group easily enough. Their base was located in the southern forests on the border of the Land of Fire and the Land of Rivers. It was relatively well hidden amongst the top of the trees, but if one knew what they were looking for, as the Jonin did, they could find it.

He found a cave a few kilometers away and set up camp, sure that he was far enough away that they wouldn’t notice his presence. There he began his watch. After a week, he decided to head back to the village with the information he’d gathered. He could confirm that the group was ruthless, he’d seen them waylay a merchant caravan and completely annihilate it, but they had all been civilians, not a shinobi among them. But they had nothing on the former Akatsuki. They lacked the leadership and organization of the former terrorist group. A well trained squad of shinobi should be able to round them up easily enough. So with that information, he began to break camp.

As he took to the trees, to begin his return journey, he was hit by a sudden wave of vertigo. He stopped, leaning heavily against the trunk of the tree. After a moment, he felt he could continue. He shook his head, not sure what had come over him, and jumped to the next tree. When his foot landed on the next branch, he was hit by another wave of dizziness and he momentarily lost control of his chakra. It didn’t last long, but it was enough for him to lose his footing and fall heavily to the ground.

The resulting crash was enough to draw the attention of the group of rogues. He was almost immediately surrounded by four of their number. He had activated his Byakugan and took his stance. He managed to fight them off, though it took more out of him than he expected. He only managed to kill two of them, and incapacitate one more, before he saw his chance to make a break for it. The final rogue pursued him for several miles, until he was finally able to lose him by slipping into the nearby river and swimming quite a ways under the relatively deep water, though not before his pursuer landed a kunai in his side.

Once he couldn’t see the other with his Kekkei Genkai, he made his way to the surface and allowed the current to take him further downstream. He finally pulled himself from the water and continued on foot. This brought him to where he was now.

His eyes caught a faint glimmer of chakra, before his Byakugan flickered off. He’d used up too much chakra already. He hesitated for a moment, before heading toward it. He knew he shouldn’t trust it, but he needed help. And right now, he’d take practically anyone as long as they weren’t with that group of rogues, besides, there was something comforting in the feel of this chakra.

As he passed through the barrier, for that could only be what it was, he saw a rather well built house, with a large garden stretching out along one side. His vision started to fade as he stumbled closer to the dwelling. He wanted to call out, needed to actually, but he was just too weak. As he finally succumbed to the welcoming arms of unconsciousness, he saw a long haired figure leaning over him with concern clouding their gentle brown eyes.

888

“How is he?”

“It’s still too soon to tell, he’s lost a lot of blood. Do you have any idea who he might be?”

“He is a Hyuga from the Leaf Village, that is all I know at the moment. He had this on him.”

A pale hand extended, revealing a sealed scroll.

“What will you do with it?”

“Can you say for certain that you can heal him within the week?”

“It can go either way at this point. It is impossible to tell.”

“Then I will do as I promised. This scroll, along with his forehead protector, will be sent back to Lady Tsunade. She will know what his mission was, and what to do with this information.”

With that being said, the pale, tapered fingers flew through a series of hand signs. A moment later, a crow appeared and took the aforementioned items, before taking off through the open window.

888

Shikamaru Nara made his way lazily across the Village Hidden in the Leaves. His destination was the Hyuga compound, where his wayward boyfriend of two years had disappeared a little over a week ago. He hadn’t seen the long haired Jonin in all that time, as he had packed his belongings from the apartment they shared and had relocated to his family’s compound, and the following day had taken an insane mission away from the village. He wasn’t sure why Neji had done all this, they hadn’t been fighting, in fact, things had been great between them.

As he walked, his mind drifted back over his relationship with the Hyuga prodigy. They had gotten together two years ago now, shortly after the war. He had been injured during the battle, after his father had been killed, and once everything was over, he had been patched up and sent home. His mother, in her grief, was in no shape to take care of her convalescing son, so Lady Tsunade had assigned him a caretaker, which, for reasons known only to her, had been Neji Hyuga.

They hadn’t gotten along well at first, the both of them being exceedingly stubborn. But the more time they had spent together, the more he came to appreciate the older shinobi’s company. It had taken awhile, but he had finally made his feelings known, and shortly thereafter they had started dating. It had taken him six months after that to convince the brunet to move in with him. And they’d lived together for a little over a year now.

They had their ups and downs, just like any couple, but they always worked through everything well enough. In fact, he had planned to ask Neji to marry him, before all this happened. He had just bought the ring and everything. He still planned on it, actually, he just had to figure out what he’d supposedly done wrong, and make it up to the other.

He was brought from his musings as he finally reached the Hyuga compound. He nodded to the gate guard and stated his business. The guard had him wait while he went inside to check for the prodigy.

A few minutes later, the guard returned, only it wasn’t with his boyfriend, but with his cousin, Hinata. Her pale eyes narrowed as soon as she saw him. Without a word, she grabbed his arm and dragged him along the long fence, until they were far enough away from listening ears.

“What are you doing here, Nara?” this was not the timid girl he once knew.

“What do you mean, what am I doing here?” he frowned. “I came to see if Neji stopped here before reporting in. He should have been back from his mission by now. And I think I have a right to worry about my boyfriend.”

“I thought his moving out would’ve been enough of a clue that you’re not anymore,” she crossed her arms over her chest. “Neji wants nothing to do with you.”

“Look,” he rubbed the back of his neck, this was so troublesome, “I’m not sure why Neji left, but I think that’s between me and him, not you.”

“Maybe you should ask Temari what’s wrong,” she countered.

“Temari?” his frown deepened. “What would Temari have…?” his face cleared as he remembered the last time he had seen the blonde Sand kunoichi, just before Neji had left. “Who told Neji?”

“No one had to tell him,” she sneered. “He saw everything.”

“Damn it,” he sighed heavily. “Look, Hinata, I don’t owe you any explanation, and you’re not going to get one. The only one I owe anything to is Neji. So if you see him, let him know I need to talk to him.”

Without waiting for a response, he turned on his heel and walked away. He made his way to his favorite spot for cloud gazing. He really needed some space to think. Why was this turning out to be so troublesome? He had thought that being with Neji would keep those bothersome women off his back, but obviously, he was wrong.

Before he reached his destination, he heard a familiar loud cry of a bird. His brown eyes drifted upward to the hawk circling overhead. He gave a long suffering sigh as he changed direction. Why did the Hokage have to call him now? Sometimes, he really hated the fact that he had accepted his father’s old position of Jonin Commander.

He was surprised when he finally arrived at the Hokage’s office to see that he wasn’t the only one summoned. He wasn’t surprised that Naruto was present, as he had just started his training to take over as Hokage in a few years, when Lady Tsunade finally retired; but Hinata’s presence, as well as Might Gai, Rock Lee, and Tenten’s were a bit confusing. It was an odd assortment for a meeting, to be sure.

“Now that we’re all here,” the busty blonde behind the desk interrupted his thoughts, “I have something to tell all of you. As you may or may not be aware, a little over a week ago, the Jonin Neji Hyuga was sent out on an information gathering mission. In light of evidence that was received this morning, it is my duty, and with great regret, that I inform you that the Jonin Neji Hyuga has been killed in action.”

Shikamaru couldn’t believe what he was hearing. This couldn’t be happening. Not now, not after everything. But the loud sobs coming from the remainder of what was once Team Gai were making it hard to ignore.

“Hinata Hyuga,” Tsunade’s somber voice continued, “as the representative of his family and clan, it is my responsibility to relinquish this into your possession.

She held out her hand, on which was Neji’s forehead protector. He had to fight the urge to snatch it away from the Hyuga heir. By rights, that should go to him, someone who loved the brunet, not the clan that cursed him and treated him like a second class citizen. But unfortunately, he had no legal rights. They weren’t even engaged, much less married.

“A memorial service will be held for him later this week,” the Hokage sighed. “And his name will be added to the Memorial Stone. He will be missed. He was a great shinobi and an even better man. That is all. You are dismissed.”


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

 

It felt like he was floating through an inky black abyss. Occasionally, he thought he could hear voices around him, but he couldn’t make out what they were saying. He didn’t know how long he was there, as there was no way to track the movement of time.

A sharp pain in his side caused a groan to escape his lips, as his eyes fluttered open. He barely had time to register the unremarkable white, board ceiling above him before he was leaning over and emptying the nonexistent contents of his stomach onto the floor. As he continued to dry heave, he felt someone gather his long hair away from his face and a hand begin to rub gently against his shoulders.

“Just relax, Hyuga,” a soft voice said from behind him. “Let it out, and take it easy.”

Once he was finished, the hands guided him back onto the mattress as the pain in his side spiked once more. When he was settled, his pale gaze drifted to the other and finally locked with dark blue that was almost black. A frown marred his features, those eyes did not quite belong in the almost recognizable face, though he wasn’t sure where he had seen it before.

“Wh-where am I?” he croaked, his throat too dry to make the words more than a whisper.

“Here,” the stranger held out a small glass of water, which once it passed his lips, he drank greedily.

“Take it easy, Hyuga,” he continued, as the long haired brunet started to choke slightly. “As for where you are, you are in my house, along the southern border of the Land of Fire and the Land of Rivers. You were injured and managed to make it here. My husband has been tending to your wounds, but we weren’t sure you were going to make it. You’ve been unconscious for three weeks.”

“Th-three weeks?” he stuttered, reminding himself strongly of his younger cousin. “I-I have to go.”

“You will remain here until my husband clears you to leave,” a hand pushed him gently, but firmly, back against the mattress. “You received a nearly fatal wound, Hyuga, you are still healing and in no shape to make the journey back to Konoha.”

“You don’t understand,” he protested, trying in vain to remove the restraining hand. “I am a Jonin of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. I was on a mission. I have been away for too long. I must return and give my findings to the Hokage.”

“Your report has been returned to Konoha,” the other soothed, but at the confused frown he received, he went on. “Let’s just say, I have a long standing arrangement with the Hokage. If any Konoha shinobi ends up in my care for an extended period of time, I am to send their reports straight to the Hokage. I may be a retired shinobi, but my loyalties are, and always have been, to Konoha.”

The Jonin nodded, that made some sense. If he were to retire as young as this man appeared to be, he would still help out his village in any way he could. And maybe that’s where he recognized this man from. He probably saw him around, after all, he couldn’t be more than five years older than he himself was.

“Wait,” he frowned as he realized just where he’d seen this shinobi before. “You’re not a retired shinobi. You’re Itachi Uchiha! You’re supposed to be dead.”

“What is going on here?” a soft male voice sounded from the doorway.

Both men turned to look at the speaker. In the doorway stood a rather effeminate looking man, with his long black hair pulled back into a ponytail, tied at the back of his head. He was dressed in a dark green yukata, and if he hadn’t spoken, Neji wouldn’t have been able to determine his gender at all. In his arms, he carried a small bundle of bandages and a bowl of steaming water.

“Your patient woke up,” Itachi explained.

“I can see that,” the other nodded in the Hyuga’s direction. “Now, you are obviously upsetting him, Itachi, so please leave.”

“Of course,” the former Akatsuki member held up his hands in surrender. “Now, Hyuga, I suggest you listen to everything he tells you. There is more to Haku than meets the eye.”

With that the Uchiha pushed to his feet and left the room, only pausing to place a kiss on the newcomer’s head. As soon as he was gone, Haku closed the door and made his way over to the bed. His brown eyes narrowed slightly as he caught sight of the mess Neji had made upon waking.

“Is your stomach still upset?” he asked, taking the recently vacated seat.

“No,” the brunet shook his head. “It just hit me when I woke up.”

“I see,” Haku nodded. “Well, let’s change your bandages, and see how your wound is healing, then I will check and see if I can figure out what happened.”

The Jonin nodded, he wasn’t sure why, but there was just something about this man that put him at ease. Haku set to work immediately, helping the younger male to sit up and began removing the old bandages. He gently cleaned the wound, but Neji still flinched in pain.

“My apologies,” the other said quietly. “I have studied the healing arts for many years now, but I will not claim to be as proficient as what you are probably used to. I am not the legendary Sanin Tsunade, after all.”

“Its fine,” the brunet took a steadying breath. “It just hurts.”

“Understandable,” the healer nodded, applying some sort of cream, followed by a cold compress. “As I’m sure Itachi explained, you have been unconscious for three weeks. You were severely wounded, any higher and it would’ve punctured a lung, and any lower it would’ve gotten your liver. Subsequently, you lost a lot of blood. I wasn’t sure if you would make it for awhile there. Though, the fact that you are awake now is a good sign.”

“I see,” he took it all in stride, he’d had too many close calls in his life to let it affect him too much. “Do you mind if I ask you a question?”

“Hmm?” he hummed as he began to bandage him up again.

“How did you end up with Itachi Uchiha?” he asked curiously. “You don’t seem the type to associate with S-class criminals. I mean, I know he had his reasons, and was not as evil as he was portrayed, but that is not common knowledge.”

“As Itachi said, there is more to me than meets the eye,” Haku chuckled slightly as he helped the younger man to lay back. “As it stands, I have been associated with S-class criminals most of my life. My first… partner was Zabuza Momochi, the Demon of the Hidden Mist. He practically raised me, and trained me himself. After his death, at the hands of Kakashi Hatake and his genin squad…”

“Wait, you’re that Haku?” lavender eyes widened in surprise, as the other began running a chakra coated hand over his chest and abdomen. “I thought you had died. Naruto speaks vey fondly of you, and he mourned for you greatly.”

“Naruto was an interesting individual when I met him,” a fond smile graced his features. “He was a good kid, and I’ve heard he’s grown into a fine young man. And it is as you said, I was thought to be dead. They even buried me. I managed to crawl out of my grave, though, and I still would have died shortly thereafter if it had not been for a traveling medic who healed me. From there, I trained with her for awhile in medical ninjutsu.

“After while, Kisame Hoshigaki came to visit Zabuza’s grave. He convinced me to travel with him, as he could use a well trained weapon such as myself. I left my training and followed him. That is where I met Itachi.

“We grew close over the years, Itachi and I. He was actually the one who made me realize my life was more valuable than just a human weapon. Eventually, I discovered that he was ill. I became determined to cure him, because as the years passed, I realized I had come to love him. I finally discovered a cure, but he had gone to fight his brother. I arrived shortly after their fight, and Itachi was barely alive. I managed to save his life, and cure his disease, but unfortunately, his eyes had been taken. He was determined to live his life blind, but I found a suitable replacement pair and convinced him to take them. From there, we let our subsequent deaths go unchallenged and relocated to here, where we built this house. To protect our secrets, Itachi placed a barrier around the property that only allows someone who is injured to cross.”

“That is quite the tale,” Neji shook his head. “And in gratitude for you hospitality and care, I promise to keep your secret safe.”

“I do appreciate that, Hyuga.”

“It’s Neji, please,” he smiled. “You have been more than kind to me, formalities are not necessary.”

“As you wish, Neji,” he nodded, before his expression morphed into a frown as his hand hovered over the brunet’s abdomen. “This is odd.”

“What is it?” Neji asked concerned.

“There is a foreign chakra signature here,” Haku motioned to the other’s stomach. “It’s faint, which is probably why I didn’t notice it before now.”

“Is that bad?”

“Not bad, per se,” he shook his head. “It’s just odd. This phenomenon is usually only found in pregnant women, the foreign chakra belonging to the child inside them. There are a couple things I can do to confirm or deny this. And if it’s not, as I’m leaning toward, as I’ve never heard of a male being pregnant before, it is a simple procedure to remove whatever it is.”

Neji paled at his words and his hand moved instinctively to his stomach. What the other was saying was impossible, but there was a niggling doubt in the back of his mind.

“Neji, what’s wrong?” brown eyes narrowed in concern. “It’s nothing to worry about. I will be able to fix it. I may not be the best, but I can assure you, I am capable.”

“You don’t understand,” the brunet took a shuddering breath. “There are rumors in the Hyuga clan, of a forbidden jutsu that allows for a male to become pregnant. But I thought they were just that, rumors.”

“Relax, Neji,” Haku placed a calming hand over his own. “Try not to panic. Remember, you are still injured. I will run the additional tests. Until then, we know nothing for sure. We will worry about it when we do know. In the meantime, get some rest. I will be back soon with something for you to eat.”

888

Neji sat quietly on the bed he’d been provided, reading a book Haku had lent him. It had been a week since he had woken up, and according to his hosts his wound was healing nicely. Though, on the other matter, he had been told nothing.

He wasn’t sure if he should be worried about this or not. On the one hand, no news was usually good news, but on the other, he hadn’t seen the medic at all in the past few days. He had taken Haku’s advice and decided not to worry about it until they knew something for certain.

He had been sleeping quite a bit in the past week since he had first awoken. The medic said this was normal and a good thing. At first he agreed, but lately he couldn’t stop the images that plagued his subconscious. Every time he closed his eyes, he could see his former boyfriend, Shikamaru Nara, the way he had the final time he had seen him.

He had gone to one of the clearings the lazy shinobi was fond of frequenting for his cloud gazing. As he entered the clearing, he knew immediately the other was not alone, but he never expected the scene that greeted him. Shikamaru, who hadn’t been lying back watching the clouds as he had expected, was instead straddling the other figure, their faces intimately close. At first, he hadn’t been able to distinguish who the other was, but as he stood there in shocked disbelief, he recognized the blonde hair that had been pulled back into four distinct, spiky ponytails. He watched as the Sand kunoichi placed her hands on the raven’s biceps. He had fled after that, unable to watch anymore.

He shook his head to dispel the images. It was bad enough they were disturbing his sleep, where he could not control it, he didn’t need to dwell on it when he could control it.

He turned his attention back to the book in his hands, but it failed to hold it. He was spared, however, as the door opened and the recently absent medic entered the room.

“How are you feeling today, Neji?” Haku said by way of greeting.

“Sore,” the Jonin answered, “and ready to be out of this bed. You have been gone the past few days. Is there something wrong?”

“Not in as such,” the healer shook his head, as he set about tending to his wounds. “I had an errand to run. And I also wanted to seek a second opinion about your predicament. Do not fret,” he soothed as the other tensed at these words, “I was most discreet.”

“And what did you find?”

“This wound is healing nicely,” Haku prodded the still tender flesh gently. “I think you should be able to get up soon, as long as you take it easy.”

“Haku,” pale eyes narrowed suspiciously, “what aren’t you telling me?”

The medic took a deep breath, “Well, it seems there is no deterring you. There is no easy way to tell you, so I’ll just lay it out. Neji, you are in fact pregnant, and unfortunately, with what I discovered from the jutsu used, I cannot terminate it without causing irreparable harm to your chakra network.”

Pale eyes closed in resignation at these words. Ever since the other man had mentioned that this was even a possibility, he had feared this would be the outcome. His clan was nothing if not sadistic, especially to those of its members they deemed lesser.

“How far along?” he tried to keep calm but his voice shook slightly.

“About nine to ten weeks,” Haku gently took his hand and made him look at him. “There are a few things you’ll need to be careful with, but we can go over that later. The main thing is, for the duration of the pregnancy, you cannot, and I cannot stress that enough, use any chakra.”

“Why?” a dark frown marred the younger’s face.

“It’s the same reason I cannot terminate,” the healer rubbed the back of his hand soothingly. “The jutsu is redirecting your chakra to form the womb. Now, I know this is a lot to ask and take in, especially for one so young and who never asked for this, but know that you will not be alone in this. I will be right there with you every step of the way.”


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

 

“What the hell, Haku?!” Neji’s outraged voice filled the small house.

It had been two months since the Konoha Jonin had gotten the news that he was pregnant and he had yet to leave the home of the two former rogue shinobi. He was fully healed from his injuries now, but he was hesitant to return to the village. There were several reasons he didn’t want to go back, the main two being that he didn’t want anyone to see him in his current condition, which was just starting to show with a tiny bulge in his abdomen, and that he didn’t want to… no, couldn’t face the other father, not now.

“Neji,” the healer’s calm voice cut through his wayward thoughts, “you need to calm down. This is nothing to get upset over.”

“No,” the brunet held up his hand. “When you said you would be with me every step of the way, I thought you meant mentally and emotionally, not that you were going to use the jutsu on yourself.”

“That’s almost exactly what I said,” Itachi shook his head from where he was seated across the room from the pair.

“No one asked you, Uchiha,” pale eyes narrowed at the older male.

“I was agreeing with you,” he frowned in confusion. “Why are you taking this out on me? I’m not the one that used the jutsu.”

“And you’re not the one that fucked him?” Neji snapped.

“I am allowed to have sex with my husband,” the Uchiha countered.

“I think you should leave, Itachi,” Haku interrupted the pair. “You are upsetting Neji.”

“ _I’m_ upsetting him?” Itachi scoffed, but quickly shut his mouth as the brown eyes narrowed dangerously. “Fine, I’m going.”

With that, he pushed to his feet and made his way out of the house. Once the door closed behind him, the two younger males turned to stare at one another.

“Neji, I understand your ire, I do,” the healer sighed. “This was something you didn’t ask for, and it frightens you. Don’t deny it,” he held the other’s gaze as he opened his mouth to protest “But you have to understand, this was _my_ choice. I want to have a baby with Itachi. Yes, it might have been better if I had talked to him about it first, but I don’t regret it. I can understand how someone like you, who had this forced upon you, would be upset that someone would choose to do this to themselves.”

“No, you’re right,” the Jonin took a calming breath. “I apologize. You just caught me by surprise. I understand your desire, I do. And had circumstances been different between my… partner and I, and my clan wasn’t what they are, I might have chosen this path for myself. On that note, I believe congratulations are in order.”

“Thank you,” the other smiled softly, placing his hand on his still flat stomach. “Though, if you don’t mind my asking, what exactly happened between you and the other father? You don’t talk about him, and I thought for sure that once the shock had worn off and your wounds had healed, you would return to Konoha.”

“Do you not want me to stay here any longer?” he bowed his head, his hair falling forward to obscure his face.

“That’s not what I said,” Haku shook his head. “Nor what I meant. I am merely curious as to why you do stay.”

“I… I can’t go back, not now,” the brunet took a shuddering breath. “M-my clan did this to me. And… and once the child is born, they… they will seal it just as they did me,” his hand lifted to the mark marring his exposed forehead. “More than that, I… I cannot return to _him._ ”

His voice faltered and he could not stop the tears streaming down his face. The healer was at his side within a moment, and pulled the unresisting Jonin into his arms.

“What happened, Neji?” the other asked gently, caressing the chocolate mane in a soothing manner.

“I-I loved him,” he sobbed, unable to stem the flow of words. “W-we were together for t-two years, and I-I couldn’t imagine my life wi-without him in it. B-but just before I t-took my m-mission that br-brought m-me here. I… I… I found him in the arms of another.”

“Oh, Neji,” the arms around him tightened, offering what comfort they could. “I’m so sorry.”

They sat like that for several minutes, neither feeling the need to expound on the conversation. Finally, Neji took a shuddering breath and pulled away from the healer. He took another, more stable breath and rubbed his thumbs under his pale eyes, removing the final traces of his tears.

“F-forgive…”

“You have no need to apologize, Neji,” the brown gaze leveled sternly on the Hyuga. “I am sorry that happened to you. And I know it is little consolation, but you are always welcome here, for as long as you want. You will always be cared for and safe here. I promise.”

“Thank you, Haku,” a ghost of a smile flitted across his features. “I do appreciate everything you and Itachi have done for me.”

888

Five Months Later

Lady Tsunade, the fifth Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, sat behind her desk within the office in the Hokage tower, reading through the missive which had just been delivered to her. She was on her third read through, pondering the strange request therein, when the office door burst open and her in-training replacement walked in.

“What’d ya call me for, Grandma Tsunade?” Naruto asked impatiently, as he came to a stop on the other side of her desk.

A vein in her forehead twitched at the brat’s impertinence, but she couldn’t afford to address it at this time. The message sounded urgent and she needed to handle the matter immediately.

“Naruto,” she shook her head and focused on the blond. “A medical emergency has come to my attention, and I must leave the village for a little while. I will be leaving you in charge in my absence.”

“Okay,” the young man frowned in confusion. “But, Granny, why does it have to be you? Why not send Shizune or Sakura? I mean, you haven’t left the village in years.”

“I’m still more than capable of going on a mission, brat,” honey brown eyes narrowed dangerously. “Besides, the request was for me specifically, and as it is in a top secret location, I will be going. Now, I will be leaving as soon as I gather what supplies I feel I’ll need. I will be gone for no more than two weeks, and I’m trusting you to not let the village fall in that amount of time. And seriously, Naruto, if you need help, ask Shikamaru.”

With that, she pushed to her feet and made her way out of the office. She stopped at the hospital to gather the supplies she needed, before heading out of the village. She traveled south for the remainder of the day and stopped at a small nondescript village for the night.

Once the sun had risen the following morning, she set out once more. It was evening when she finally approached her destination. In the near distance, she spotted a lone figure, obviously waiting for her arrival.

“Lady Tsunade,” he nodded as she neared. “I’m glad you could come.”

“Itachi,” she greeted. “I have to say, I was surprised by your request for my aid. I thought Haku had things under control out here. He is a skilled medic after all. I trust he is not injured?”

“He is incapacitated, but otherwise he is well,” the raven shook his head. “You will see once we arrive at the house. No, the reason we sent for you is because we have a patient in our care who needs your expertise while Haku is unable to assist.”

“I see,” she nodded, though she was curious as to what had befallen the young healer she had once taught.

“Now, before we get there,” the Uchiha continued, “there are a few things about the patient you should know. He is a young shinobi who has come under our protection. He has his reasons for being here and as such, your utmost discretion is necessary.”

“I understand,” she agreed, she was after all, first and foremost, a medic. “I trust your judgment on the matter, Itachi.”

“I thank you for that, Lady Tsunade,” he gave a brief smile before coming to a stop. “Now, if you will take my arm, I will lead you through the barrier that protects our property, which allows only myself, Haku, or an injured party to pass through unscathed.”

With a nod, she silently took his arm and together they proceeded forward. She couldn’t help but marvel at the barrier she felt pressing in around her, it had to be one of the Uchiha’s own creation as she had never heard of its like before. After a moment, they were through and she could now see a house not too far off.

“While I am here,” the blonde said, “once I attend to this medical matter, I would like to discuss the group of rogues that had settled just south of here. The ones my shinobi had reported on in that scroll you sent me some months back.”

“Ah, yes,” he nodded. “Shortly after your shinobi was discovered and subsequently attacked by them, they fled over the border into the Land of Rivers. I dared not pursue them myself, but if they should ever return to this area, I shall inform you at once.”

“I knew I could count on you,” she smiled as he held the door open for her.

Once they were both inside, and the door closed behind them, she allowed herself to look around. The room they were standing in was a living room with a large, plush couch and an armchair situated around a lit fireplace. The room was entirely lit by candles, which was understandable, considering the remote location was not suitable for allowing electricity. To the right was an open doorway which she could see led to the kitchen, and one on the left which opened on a hallway, which she presumed led to the living quarters of the inhabitants.

“Lady Tsunade,” a gentle male voice drew her attention back to the kitchen.

A warm smile graced her features as she recognized the young healer. It quickly morphed into a confused frown as the younger raven walked further into the room and her eyes fell on his distended abdomen.

“Haku,” she couldn’t help but voice her confusion, “is this why you came to me all those months ago? To confirm you were pregnant?”

“Uh, no,” he chuckled slightly. “This happened after my visit. Though judging by your reaction, this is not the first male pregnancy you have encountered.”

“No, it’s not,” she shook her head. “There are a few different clans within the Leaf village who have jutsus to allow such a phenomenon. Many years ago, I personally assisted a Hyuga in his delivery. It was a set of twins, an almost unheard of occurrence in male pregnancies, from what I’ve been told.

“So, tell me, Haku,” she pulled her thoughts back on track, “do you know which clan’s jutsu was used on you? The only reason I ask is that each jutsu is different, and the way to deal with the delivery varies drastically.”

“It’s the Hyuga jutsu,” Haku shrugged. “Several months back I went to the Hyuga compound to find out what I could about this particular jutsu.”

“So you’re the thief?” the blonde smirked. “The clan was up in arms about the break in to the precious compound, but they insisted nothing had been taken.”

“That’s because I didn’t truly take anything,” the young healer shook his head. “I just copied the jutsu I needed. This,” he indicated his stomach, “was just a welcome bonus. I actually needed to know about the jutsu to assist my patient. Speaking of which, we should probably see if he is awake from his nap, so you can check on him. While I still have a few months left of my pregnancy, if our calculations are correct, which I’m sure they are, he is about ready to deliver. Which is why I called for you. The procedure is quite delicate and in my current condition, I cannot perform it.”

“I see,” she nodded. “Very well, lead the way, Haku.”

The young healer nodded and made his way across the room to the hallway. The Hokage followed after him, while Itachi took a seat in the living room to wait. Haku came to a stop at the second door on the right. He rapped lightly on the door, before pushing it quietly open.

“Neji, are you awake?” he called in barely a whisper.

Tsunade’s eyes widened as a candle flared to life in the room, illuminating its sole occupant. She stared in disbelief at the young man she had declared dead scant months ago.

“Hyuga,” she just barely managed to keep herself from going in and demanding answers.

“Lady Hokage,” pale eyes widened in surprise as his gaze fell on her. “Wh-what are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing, Hyuga,” she countered, crossing her arms over her ample chest as the young Jonin seemed to struggle to sit up. “It was reported that you were dead.”

“Lady Tsunade,” Haku cleared his throat quietly, “I did not invite you here to interrogate my patient. If you cannot proceed in the manner intended, I am going to have to ask you to leave, and I will find another healer to do the job for me. Perhaps they would not be as skilled as you, but I’m sure with the proper guidance, they would be more than adequate.”

“There will be no need for that, Haku,” Tsunade took a deep, calming breath. “I was just caught off guard. Shall we take a look then?”

She unfolded her arms and crossed over to the bed where the Hyuga was sitting. She took a seat in the conveniently placed chair next to the bed. Her hands became coated in green chakra and she placed them over the brunet’s stomach.

“Haku,” she frowned slightly, “did you check for the presence of twins?”

“No,” the young healer shook his head, as he moved closer to the bed. “Everything I read said it was highly unlikely, near impossible, as the jutsu was not inherently designed for multiples.”

“In that you are correct,” her eyes narrowed in concentration. “The jutsu was not designed for that, but it does run in his direct family. You remember, I told you the last male pregnancy I helped deliver was a set of twins. Those twins were Neji’s father and uncle.”

“Surely you jest, Lady Hokage,” pale eyes widened at this pronouncement. “My father was not the product of male pregnancy, was he?”

“He was,” she nodded. “Your grandfathers were quite surprised by the turn of events. It was unprecedented, which is why I was personally called in to assist with the delivery, my medical prowess was well known, even back then. Though, it seems you do not share the same fate, there is only one babe here.”

Neji released a breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding. He had come to terms with the fact that he was carrying a child, he didn’t think he could handle two.

“Well,” the blonde sighed, “it does not appear he is ready to give birth just yet.”

“How long do you think it will be?” Haku asked curiously. “I mean, we did send for you early so we would not be too late, but we do not want to keep you away for too long.”

“It’s hard to say for sure, without a member of the Hyuga clan who can actually use the Byakugan at present,” her brown eyes held a touch of amusement. “Though, I’m assuming that that option is out, so we’ll just have to go with my best guess. That being said, this jutsu creates an opening at the end of the pregnancy. And similar to a woman’s cervix, it opens wide enough to allow the baby to come out without risking the parent’s chakra network. And similar to the cervix, it can be felt opening. As of right now,” she placed her hands at the bottom of Neji’s abdomen and began prodding gently, “the opening is barely there. I would say a few more days at least. Though, like with any pregnancy that could change rapidly, so I will monitor him regularly.”

“Thank you, Lady Tsunade,” the Hyuga nodded, making himself more comfortable against the headboard. “Haku, could you give us a moment?”

“Of course,” the young healer nodded, and turned to leave. “Just know that if you need anything, we’re just down the hall.”

The pair watched him go in silence. Once the door was closed behind him, Neji folded his hands in his lap and took a deep breath.

“I know you have questions,” he finally said. “I will answer them truthfully, so you may feel free to ask.”

“Very well,” she sighed heavily. “Before I begin, are you confined to bed rest? I would hate for my questions to cause you undue stress, and as such I can hold off until after the birth if necessary.”

“I am not confined to bed rest,” he chuckled slightly. “I just find myself overly tired as of late. Haku assures me this is quite normal. Though, Itachi insists we retire to our beds, rather than fall asleep where we sit. More often than not, he ends up carrying us to our respective beds. I suppose that is to be expected as well. And while I would appreciate not being overly stressed, I do understand you have questions and I feel I should answer them. So please, ask away, Lady Tsunade.”

“Alright,” she shook her head. “Why did you say you were dead if you have been here this whole time?”

“I did not know I was thought to be dead,” a frown marred his features. “When I first arrived, I was gravely injured and was unconscious for three weeks. When I finally woke, Itachi assured me he had sent my report to you. I was still recovering, so I let the matter rest.”

“But why not return once your wounds had healed?”

“Before I had recovered,” he shook his head, “I found out about my current… condition. There was no possible way I could truly return safely to the village like this.”

“I suppose that makes sense,” she conceded. “Though, I don’t know how we will explain your sudden return from the grave once the baby is born.”

“Actually, that is something I would like to discuss with you,” he sighed heavily. “I do not wish to return to the village once the baby is born.”

“Why ever not?” she asked, taken aback. “Konoha is your home. Your family is there, and others who care about you.”

“My clan did this to me without my knowledge or consent,” his hand rested protectively over his swollen abdomen. “How can I trust them after that? Besides, if I take this child to the village, they will attempt to seal it, just as they do to any branch member, and I do not want that fate for my child.”

“Your friends would never allow that to happen,” she frowned. “Nor would I for that matter. But all that aside, what of the other father? Surely he would protect the two of you?”

“He is not a factor in this,” his expression turned stony.

“Very well,” she held up her hands in surrender. “What do you intend to do then?”

“If you do not mind,” he bit his lip, suddenly nervous, “I would like to remain here and help Itachi. I would also like to keep an eye on that group of rogues.”

“Consider it done,” she nodded, that worked well for her. It would mean she would keep a strong shinobi in her employ, and have another set of eyes, one that already knew something of the matter, on the group that was plaguing the Elemental Nations. “I will have an official mission drawn up, so that should you ever be questioned you will have my backing, as well as the rest of the village.”

888

Pale eyes fluttered open, blinking away the effects of the anesthetic that had been used on him. It had been four days since Lady Tsunade’s arrival, and she had finally said he was ready to deliver. She had insisted on putting him under full anesthesia, to prevent any complications from him trying to move during the delicate procedure.

“Good, you’re awake,” the Hokage’s voice floated through his muddled thoughts.

“Ho-how long was I out?” he asked hoarsely, obviously a side effect to the medicine.

“Not too long,” she held up a glass of cool water to his lips. “I didn’t give you a large dose, as I didn’t want you to be out for too long once the procedure was complete. As it stands, it’s been about ten minutes since I finished. Now, the full effects won’t wear off for a couple hours, then you’ll be able to move around, though you’ll still be sore for a few days. I want you to take it easy, even after the pain goes away. You will not be back to your former self or chakra levels for at least a month, upwards of two. The jutsu may be removed after the two months, not before.”

He managed a small nod to show he understood.

“Alright, I think that’s everything,” a small smile graced her features. “So, how would you like to meet your son?”

“M-my son?” his eyes widened in surprise. “It’s a boy?”

“Yes, a healthy baby boy,” she nodded. “Six pounds, nine ounces, twenty inches long. Haku took him to be cleaned up, but he should be back any moment.”

Almost as if on cue, the door to the room opened and the young healer walked in. In his arms was a squirming, wailing bundle of blankets. With careful steps, the still pregnant young man made his way over to the bed. With some help from Tsunade, Neji was able to sit up and the bundle transferred to his waiting arms.

“Shh,” the young father cooed as he shifted the infant closer to his chest.

Very carefully, he shifted the blankets away from the babe, his fingers ghosting lightly over the delicate features of his face. He was so small and helpless, but the pale eyes, just a shade darker than his own, were wide and they gave the young Jonin hope for a better future. He couldn’t stop the tears that ran unchecked down his cheeks. While the child may have had his eyes, the rest of him, from his wisps of raven hair to his tiny little nose and mouth, was a stark reminder of the child’s other parent.

“I hope you don’t mind,” Haku’s gentle voice cut through his musings, “I brought this for him.”

He held out a small bottle and passed it over to the Hyuga. Neji took it without a word and pressed it to the infant’s mouth. After a moment, the tiny mouth latched onto the synthetic nipple and began to suckle.

“Well, that’s a good start,” Tsunade chuckled quietly. “So, Neji, have you thought of a name yet?”

“Asuka,” the brunet answered in barely more than a whisper, his eyes never leaving the babe. “Asuka Hyuga.”

 

Asuka—Flying bird


	4. Chapter 3

Sasuke Uchiha stood before the Hokage’s desk, unsure why he had been summoned. He had returned to the Village Hidden in the Leaves about three years ago now, just after the war. His return was met with mixed feelings, but he didn’t care. And after a probationary period of a year and a half, he had returned to the shinobi ranks as a Jonin. He took missions, but he usually picked them up at the missions office. He couldn’t think of anything that would’ve given the Hokage reason to call him into her office, except maybe his recent interest into the ANBU Black-Ops.

“Uchiha,” she said formally, cutting into his thoughts, “I have been called out on a medical emergency, and you are going to accompany me.”

“Why?” he asked confused, forgetting himself for a moment.

“Your presence has been requested specifically,” a vein throbbed in her forehead. “We will be leaving in one hour. So, I suggest you go get ready. Dismissed.”

He bowed slightly, barely remembering to show his respect, and left the office. He made his way to the apartment he shared with his boyfriend of almost three years, Naruto Uzumaki.

The two of them had gotten together shortly after the war and his subsequent return to the village. The blond had been assigned by Lady Tsunade to keep an eye on him and make sure he didn’t do anything stupid. He thought the whole thing was ridiculous but had little choice but to go along with it.

The two of them had fought, often and, in Naruto’s case, loudly, as they normally did when forced to be around each other, until one day everything changed. They had been arguing about something stupid the blond had done, again, when Naruto had gotten into his face. Instead of punching the dobe out of his personal space, almost without thought, he had grabbed his arms and pulled him into a fierce kiss. And that was the beginning of the end. They still argued, but it was more playful banter than anything else and always led to something physical, just not quite as violent as it used to be.

A fond smile graced his features as he opened the door to the apartment. He wasn’t surprised that he didn’t spot his boyfriend, but the dobe was training to be Hokage after all, so he was probably with Lady Tsunade getting his orders for her absence. He quickly penned a note to his dobe and went to gather his things for the mission.

He met the Hokage at the gate and from there they traveled south for two days, only stopping at random villages to spend the night. When they finally arrived at their supposed destination, his dark eyes darted around in confusion at the empty stretch of forest before them.

“Before we go further,” Tsunade turned a stern look on the young shinobi, “what you are about to see is completely confidential. If you cannot promise that you will tell no one of this, not even Naruto, then you can turn around right now and go back to the village.”

“Lady Tsunade,” he held her gaze, “I am training to be an ANBU, I know how to keep a secret.”

“I was just making sure,” she smiled. “Now, once we cross this barrier, you are not to attack anyone inside, they are all allies of the Leaf.” At his nod, she took hold of his arm and began moving forward. “Now, all we have to do is get through this barrier. Do not let go, or I will not be able to pass.”

He gave her a confused look but decided not to question her strange words at this point, as he felt a large chakra force pressing in all around him. He was hard pressed not to activate his Sharingan, but the feel of the chakra wasn’t evil, in fact it was actually quite comforting, like coming home. This feeling alone kept his dojutsu in check.

A moment later, they were through. He barely had time to register the house and its garden before the door of the dwelling was thrown open and a figure emerged. The person sprinted toward them, a bundle of blankets clutched protectively in their arms, and their long chocolate colored hair flowing behind them.

“Lady Tsunade,” the obviously male voice greeted rather breathlessly, “there is something wrong with Haku. It started a few hours ago, and has only gotten worse.”

As he spoke, he began leading the Hokage into the house, but Sasuke stood rooted to the spot. He couldn’t believe what his eyes and ears were telling him. It couldn’t be true, could it? And if it was, what was he doing way out here of all places? The Hyuga had been declared dead. Why would he choose to do that and remain here, rather than return to the village and the people who cared about him?

“We would’ve come and got you, to get you here sooner,” Neji’s voice spurred him into motion, he would get his answers, “but Itachi refuses to leave his side, and I could not leave Asuka here nor risk taking him with me.”

“I understand,” Lady Tsunade nodded. “Don’t worry, I will take it from here, and do everything within my power to save them both.”

They had entered the house now and the blonde disappeared through an open doorway in the left side of the room. The long haired brunet stood in the middle of the room, his back to the Uchiha and his head bowed.

“Hyuga,” Sasuke shook his head, he needed those answers, now.

“Uch—Sasuke,” Neji took a deep breath, “not now. I know you have questions, but there is too much going on right now, and I’m not the one with the answers you seek.”

Before the raven could formulate a response, Tsunade’s voice called from the other room.

“Neji! I need your Byakugan!”

The brunet’s head shot up. He took a step in the direction of the hallway, before pausing and turning to the Uchiha.

“Here,” he very carefully, but firmly, transferred the blankets into a shocked Sasuke’s arms.

It only took a moment before he gave a satisfied nod and took off across the room at a run. The dark, confused gaze followed him out of the room, not sure what that was about. He continued to stare for several moments before movement within the blankets in his arms drew his eyes downward.

His eyes widened and he almost dropped the whole bundle before his brain registered what it was he was actually holding. Inside the blankets, a small face was visible, the wide, pale eyes blinking up at him. They stared at each other for a moment before the little face scrunched up and a loud wail issued from the tiny mouth.

“If you drop him, Uchiha,” Neji’s voice called from down the hall, “I swear I will kill you myself.”

“Hyuga, focus!” Tsunade snapped.

Sasuke wasn’t sure what to do with the now crying infant, as he’d never had any experience with babies before, but he took Neji’s threat seriously and wasn’t going to drop the thing. He shifted his arms so he had a more secure grip, and very carefully made his way to the couch. He felt a little bit better once he was seated, even though the baby was still screaming at the top of his lungs.

A few minutes later, the brunet reemerged, but didn’t spare the uncomfortable teen a glance as he made his way through the other doorway on the opposite end of the room. Sasuke was barely managing to keep it together, as the babe continued to cry. He wished the Hyuga hadn’t been needed in whatever it was the Hokage was doing, so he could be spared from this torment.

It didn’t take long for Neji to come back through, carrying a large basin filled with towels and a steaming kettle. He was almost back to the other door when he seemed to remember something and backtracked to the couch.

“Here,” he pulled a small bottle out of the basin, “give him this. It should keep him calm until I can take him back.”

The raven took the proffered item a bit hesitantly, dark eyes pleading with the other to stay. The older teen just shook his head and continued out of the room. Not quite sure what he was doing, he placed the nippled tip in the open mouth. His eyes widened in surprised relief as the boy immediately quieted and began to suckle greedily.

A little over ten minutes later, another cry pierced the now silent house. Sasuke nearly jumped out of his skin at the sudden noise, but managed to refrain, mindful of the now sleeping infant in his arms. Neji appeared a moment later, this time with a crying bundle of his own. He disappeared almost immediately through the other door.

Another figure emerged from the hall, a few minutes later, rubbing one hand over their dark blue eyes tiredly. The Hyuga came back in, the bundle now transferred to a clean blanket, and went over to the newcomer.

“Sit, Itachi,” he guided him, one handed, over to the couch next to Sasuke, who was now watching the pair in confusion. “What did Tsunade say after I left?”

“He’s stable,” the other raven sighed heavily. “After the initial complications, everything went smoothly, and he should wake up in the next hour or so, though she’s not exactly sure when.”

“That’s good,” the brunet chuckled quietly in relief. “Here,” he shifted the bundle into the other’s arms, “feed your daughter.”

“I can’t believe it’s a girl,” Itachi laughed, readjusting the newborn so he could give her the bottle more easily. “I was not expecting that.”

“That’s funny,” Neji scoffed, “considering Haku has been saying it was going to be a girl months before Asuka was even born.”

“Yeah, well,” the former Akatsuki member shook his head, “after Asuka was born I just kind of assumed we’d have a boy as well.”

“Yes, well, now you have a girl,” the brunet smirked. “Congratulations. And on that note, I’m going to take Asuka, and go talk to Lady Tsunade or something.”

“You don’t have to go, Neji,” Itachi said seriously.

“Yes, actually, I do,” he leaned over and retrieved his son from the still silent Uchiha. “ _You_ need to have a conversation with your guest.”

With that, he took his leave once more. Silence remained in his wake for a few moments, only broken by the soft gurgling of the baby’s eating.

“So, Sasuke,” his brother took a deep, steadying breath, “I assume you have some questions.”

“Understatement,” he scoffed, shaking his head. “How are you even still alive, Itachi?”

“That would be courtesy of my husband in the next room,” he chuckled wryly. “After our fight, he found me and set about healing my injuries. He even found a cure for the disease I was suffering from.”

“And your eyes?”

“Also Haku’s doing,” he shook his head. “He can be very persuasive when he wants to be.”

“Okay,” Sasuke frowned. “If you’ve been alive all this time, why didn’t you come home? Back to the village?” _To me?_ was left unsaid.

“Sasuke,” the older shinobi sighed heavily, his eyes locking on the infant in his arms, unable to meet the other’s gaze, “while I have always been and will always be loyal to Konoha, there is no place for me there. I accepted that fate when I took part in the massacre of our clan.”

“But things are different now,” his brother countered. “You could come back, and you’d be hailed as a hero.”

“No, Sasuke,” Itachi shook his head. “I am glad that you were accepted back, and have chosen to make your life there. But I would never be accepted, not fully. There would always be doubt about whether I would turn again. I could not live like that, constantly looking over my shoulder, waiting for my supposed allies to stab me in the back. No, it is better for all involved if I remain here and dead to all who ask. That does not mean, however, that I want to cut you out. That is why I asked Lady Tsunade to bring you with her on this visit. I figured you would like the opportunity to meet your niece and know the truth.”

“This is a lot to take in, Itachi,” Sasuke rubbed his forehead. “But I am happy you are alive, even if I kind of wish you would’ve told me sooner. Though, maybe you could explain this,” he motioned to the sleeping infant. “You said you have a husband, how do you now have a baby? And what’s with Hyuga being here? And he has a baby, too? Who’s the mother?”

“Yes, I have a husband,” he smiled slightly. “And while Neji’s story and his reasons for being here are his own, he is the reason she now exists. When he came to us all those months ago, Haku discovered that he was pregnant.”

“Neji’s a guy,” Sasuke shook his head in confusion. “How is that even possible?”

“Apparently, the Hyugas have a secret jutsu that they use to facilitate this phenomenon,” Itachi chuckled. “And according to Tsunade, they are not the only clan to have such jutsu. However, Haku, in the essence of caring for the patients in his care, got a hold of the Hyuga jutsu, and then cast it on himself.”

“That is quite incredible,” the short haired raven sighed, “though with the Hyugas it doesn’t surprise me that much. Though,” his eyes narrowed in thought, “if Neji was already pregnant when he got here, that would make his son…”

“That is Neji’s business,” the elder Uchiha held up his hand. “If you want that information you have to ask him. Now, if you will excuse me.”

He pushed to his feet and made his way to the hallway, where the Hyuga had just appeared.

“Oh, and Sasuke,” he called over his shoulder, “feel free to stay as long as you like. And now that you know how to get here, you are welcome to visit any time. And if you clear it by Lady Tsunade, you can bring Naruto as well.”


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

 

Three Years Later

 

Shikamaru Nara made his way to the Hokage tower, having been summoned for a mission. He sighed heavily as he made his way up to the office of the Fifth. This was too troublesome. Not the mission, as Jonin Commander, he had chosen the team and set the parameters himself. No, what was bothering him was that Lady Tsunade hadn’t just signed off on it and was calling him to her office. He had a feeling that the deceptively young looking woman had something up her sleeve.

As he reached the door to the office, he paused and took a moment to collect himself. He took a deep breath and raised his hand to knock. A determined glint entered his dark eyes as he was bade entrance. No matter what Tsunade planned, he was going to hold his ground and demand he lead this mission. Eradicating this particular group of rogues had been a priority for him for the past four years, ever since… No, he had to keep his head if he was going to be able to plead his case, his personal reasons had to stay out of it for now.

With a heavy sigh, he pushed open the heavy wooden door. His eyes narrowed marginally as he took in the four people already inside. The Hokage was seated behind her desk, as he had expected, but the others… only one of the requested four team members was present, Kiba Inuzuka, who along with his dog, Akamaru, was one of the best trackers in the village, therefore vital to the success of the mission. Though he couldn’t fathom why Kankuro, the now resident ambassador from Sunagakure, and the once traitor Sasuke Uchiha were doing there.

“Good of you to join us, Shikamaru,” the blonde greeted, folding her hands in front of her on the large desk. “Now, I have called you all here for a very high ranking mission. As all of you are aware, some four years ago a small band of rogues were terrorizing not only the Land of Fire but many other nations as well. Four years ago, we discovered one of their bases at the southern border of the Land of Fire, at great cost to the village. When they realized we were on to them, they fled like cowards into the Land of Rivers. They laid low for the past few years, but two weeks ago, I got a report from a team I have in the area that they have returned to their old base. With this information, Shikamaru has requested a team be sent out to eradicate this group. This is the team I have selected.”

“This is not the team I requested, Lady Tsunade,” the lazy Jonin scowled. “I had specific reasons for every shinobi I selected. Ino, Choji, and I have been on a team since our Genin days, our abilities complement each other, and together we are a force to be reckoned with.”

“I’m not refuting that,” she tilted her hand in acknowledgement. “Unfortunately, as of this morning, Ino Yamanaka has been placed on medical leave for the foreseeable future. In light of that, Choji Akamichi has also requested some time off, so he can be with his fiancé. My apologies for not having the updated report to you yet.”

“Okay,” he frowned. He’d have to visit his friends before he headed out, just to make sure everything was alright and nothing serious had befallen the blonde. “What about Sakura? I feel it would be prudent to have a medic on the team.”

“And while I agree with you,” she chuckled, “the team already in place has a skilled medic among them. I felt it would be overkill to include another. Besides, there are some duties here I’d like her to attend to.”

“Alright,” he sighed. “But why these two?” he indicated the two he hadn’t chosen. “What advantages do they bring to this team?”

“Hey!” the former Sand shinobi protested. “I’ll have you know…”

Tsunade held up her hand, cutting off the other, “I’m placing Kankuro on this team, because I’m hoping his political position will allow you a bit of immunity and allow you to pursue these rogues should they flee again.”

“Fine,” he nodded, that actually made a lot of sense. He wished he’d thought of that angle to begin with. “And Uchiha?”

“Sasuke is actually detrimental to the success of this mission,” her brown eyes narrowed in annoyance at his continued obstinance. “He is the liaison to the team I have on the ground. Without his presence, I cannot guarantee their full cooperation in this endeavor. With that being said, you will leave first thing in the morning. Sasuke will lead you to the rendezvous point, but Shikamaru, you are the team captain. I expect all of you to remember that and act accordingly,” she looked specifically at the Uchiha. “Now, I don’t think I need to remind any of you that this is an elimination mission, I don’t expect prisoners. Dismissed.”

The four young men raised their fists to their chest in salute before filing out of the room. They split up once they were outside of the tower, each thinking of what all they would need for the upcoming journey. Shikamaru had barely taken two steps in the direction of his apartment, however, when a hand landed heavily on his shoulder.

“Nara, a word if you would,” the former traitor said quietly.

“What do you want, Uchiha?” his dark eyes settled on the other.

“I know this is personal for you, Nara,” Sasuke sighed. “But this can’t be about revenge.”

“You’re one to talk, Uchiha,” he scoffed. “Considering that’s why you betrayed the village to begin with.”

“Neji wouldn’t want that for you.”

“Whoa,” Shikamaru held up his hand. “Don’t you dare talk about him.”

“Look,” the Uchiha shook his head, “I know you’ve changed since he’s been gone, but revenge clouds everything, even the truth. Trust me, I know. We need clear heads in this, especially yours, so please don’t focus on revenge.”

With that, he released the lazy Jonin and took off toward his home. Shikamaru shook his head and continued on his way. About halfway to his apartment, he decided to change course and pay his friends a quick visit.

When he reached the apartment the couple shared, he rapped his knuckled briskly against the closed door, before he could change his mind. A moment later, it was opened by his best friend since childhood.

“Shikamaru,” Choji greeted happily. “We were just about to come see you. Come on in.”

The redhead stepped aside and allowed him to step inside. The raven let his gaze roam over the familiar surroundings until it landed on his female friend. Ino was sitting on the couch, her pale blue eyes watching his progress as a smile danced across her face.

“Hey, Ino,” he said as he finally reached the couch and flopped down next to her. “I heard you were on medical leave. Want to explain what’s going on?”

“Figures you’d know already,” Choji shook his head as he sat down in the chair across from them.

“Well, as Jonin Commander, I get informed whenever someone’s taken off active duty so I can accurately distribute the forces,” he shrugged. “But this time I found out directly from Lady Tsunade, because I requested both of you for a mission. So what gives? What’s going on with you, Ino?”

“Well, this isn’t exactly how we wanted to tell you,” the blonde giggled, “but I guess it’s as good as any. I found out this morning that I’m pregnant. You know as well as anyone that pregnant kunoichi can’t go out on missions, so until after the baby’s born, I’m on leave. Choji asked for a few weeks off, to be with me and let the news sink in.”

“A baby?” the lazy Jonin sank back into the cushions in surprise. “Well, damn. I-I don’t know what to say.”

“Congratulations is the usual response,” Choji chuckled at his friend’s gobsmacked expression.

“Damn,” he shook his head. “I wasn’t expecting this. I mean, I’m happy for you both. But, damn. I mean, you guys aren’t even married yet.”

“That’s not always required,” Ino slapped his arm playfully. “I mean, Kurenai and Asuma-sensei weren’t.”

The trio lapsed into silence at the mention of their former teacher and friend. After a moment, the redhead shook off the morose thoughts.

“So, Shikamaru,” he said curiously, “what’s this mission you’re going on? I mean, I’m assuming you’re still going, even without Ino and me.”

“Yeah, I’m still going,” he shook his head. “I have to. My team and I are leaving first thing in the morning. We’re going after those rogues that killed Neji.”

“Oh, Shikamaru,” Ino put her arm around his shoulders, pulling him into an awkward embrace. “We know how much this means to you. But I want you to promise that you’ll be careful, and come back safe.”

“I plan on it,” he sighed. “I don’t plan on joining Neji just yet, no matter how much I miss him.”

The three of them continued talking for a few hours, their conversation turning to lighter topics. Finally, Shikamaru took his leave and made his way to his empty apartment. He quickly gathered what he needed for his mission and flopped down on his bed.

“Ino and Choji are having a baby,” he said aloud into the darkness.

His hand fished beneath the collar of his shirt until it settled on the chain he kept concealed there, which contained the engagement ring he had planned to give the Hyuga. This was a routine he had followed for the past four years. He would spend a few minutes each night before he fell asleep talking, sharing anything and everything with his absent lover. He knew it was stupid, and terribly sentimental, and the man in question would’ve teased him endlessly about it, but he couldn’t help it.

“What would you say, Neji? Would you be happy for them? Or would you scoff at the sentimentality of it all?”

Right, cause starting a family was sentimental, he thought sarcastically.

“God, I miss you, Neji,” he clutched the ring tighter in his fist, as if by doing so he would feel the other’s presence. “Why did you leave me?”

He let the tears he refused to show in public fall freely, just as he had every night for the past four years, ever since they had been told the dreadful news.

888888

After leaving Shikamaru, Sasuke made his way to the small house he and his boyfriend had bought a couple years ago on the outskirts of the village. The past few years had been interesting, to be sure. He had become an ANBU shortly after his fateful trip with Lady Tsunade, and had been promoted to captain within the past year. Naruto was set to take over as Hokage within the next month or so, which, he was sure, was why Tsunade was sending out the team she was to deal with this particular problem. She wanted her reign to end on a high note, with the eradication of this group of rogues, before she handed the reins over to Naruto.

When he arrived at the house, he found his blond seated on the floor of the living room, surrounded by numerous open scrolls. The raven couldn’t keep the fond smirk off his face as he took a seat across from the jinchuriki.

“Hey,” he said quietly, so as not to startle the other.

“Oh, hey, Sasuke,” Naruto looked up with a bright grin. “You’re home early. Is everything okay?”

“No, everything is fine,” the Uchiha took a deep, fortifying breath. “Except…”

“Except?” the blond’s expression turned worried. “You said except. What except?”

“Naruto, it’s really nothing,” he shook his head. “I just have a mission. I’ll be leaving first thing in the morning.”

“You had me worried, Sasuke,” his boyfriend slapped his arm playfully. “So, when will you be back?”

“That’s the thing,” he flinched slightly, knowing the other wasn’t going to like what he had to say. “It’s for an indeterminate amount of time.”

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” Naruto asked incredulously.

“It means, we have as much time as it takes,” the raven sighed. “Tsunade just received word that the group of rogues has resurfaced. You know,” he expounded at the confused look he got, “the group of rogues that Neji went after four years ago.”

“Oh,” the blond bowed his head, and began fiddling with the nearest scroll. “Well, maybe I could go too. Get things done quicker. Couldn’t hurt, right?”

“Naruto,” he reached out and took hold of his hand, “you are needed here. You are going to be Hokage in a matter of months. You can’t give up on your dream now. Consider this a first step in achieving that. Trust the shinobi of this village to do their job.”

“I just don’t want you to go,” cerulean orbs peeked through the blond spikes.

“I know,” he smirked and gave the hand in his a reassuring squeeze. “But I’m going with Shikamaru, Kiba, and Kankuro, I’ll be in good hands. Besides, the whole reason I’m going is because I’m the contact with the team on the ground, so I’ll be in even better hands. I promise I’m going to do everything in my power to come back. I have a reason to now, you know that.”

“Promise?”

“I promise,” he reiterated, pulling the other onto his lap.

Once he was settled, Naruto tilted his head and gave his boyfriend a passionate, almost desperate kiss. Before it could get too heated through, he pulled back and blue met black.

“Are you really going to see them?”

“Yes,” Sasuke chuckled.

“Are you going to see her?” blue eyes widened curiously.

“More than likely,” he nodded.

“And you’re telling me I seriously can’t go with you?” the blond pouted. “That’s not fair.”

“Look, Naruto,” Sasuke laughed, placing a light kiss on his nose, “after all this is over, you and I will take a week and go seek Kaori. And then you can spoil her to your heart’s content.”

“I’ll hold ya to that,” Naruto nodded decisively. “Now, did you say something about leaving first thing in the morning?”

“I did.”

“That’s what I thought,” he grinned deviously. “But that means you’re mine, all night. No ifs, ands, or buts about it, mister.”

Sasuke just laughed as the blond leapt to his feet and began dragging him toward their bedroom.


End file.
